Communities around the country are working on efforts to bring smokefree air to multi-unit housing. Below is a selection of resources and tools developed by local, state, and national organizations to support smokefree multi-unit housing. Topics include assisting residents, housing providers, and advocates.
If you are starting a smokefree multi-unit housing project in your city or state, you do not need to start from scratch. Visit our companion document Suggested Resources to Develop for Your Smokefree Housing Project for recommendations of where to begin and examples of tools from around the country.
Residents:
Renter-occupied housing:
The Smoker Next Door (ANRF)
Going Smoke-Free: A Guide for Tenants (MA)
How Disability Laws Can Help Tenants Suffering from Drifting Tobacco Smoke (ChangeLab)
Sample Letter to Your Landlord (NY)
Legal Options for Tenants Suffering from Drifting Tobacco Smoke (ChangeLab)
Secondhand Smoke in Housing Infographic (ANRF)
Secondhand Smoke in Your Apartment (MN)
Owner-occupied housing:
A Smoke-Free Condominium Policy Is Legal & Protects Health While Saving Money (SFELP)
How to Make a Condo Complex Smokefree (ChangeLab)
Infiltration of Secondhand Smoke into Condominiums, Apartments and Other Multi-Unit Dwellings (TCLC)
Legal Options for Condominium Owners Exposed To Secondhand Smoke (TCLC)
Options for Condo Owners Suffering from Drifting Secondhand Smoke (ChangeLab)
Housing Providers:
Landlord guides on why and how to go smokefree:
A Practical Guide to Going Smoke-free for Multi-Unit Housing (Webinar) (WA)
How Landlords Can Prohibit Smoking in Rental Housing (ChangeLab)
Secondhand Smoke in Apartments & Condominiums: A Guide for Owners & Managers (ANRF)
Smokefree Housing: The Right Decision (WA)
Reasons to go smokefree:
Benefits of Smokefree Multiunit Housing (ANRF)
Frequently Asked Questions from Housing Providers about Smokefree Buildings (ANRF)
A Smokefree Apartment is Legal and Protects Health While Saving Money (MI)
Cost Differences to Rehabilitate Units (NY)
Landlords: Your Risks: Legal Liability (MI)
Reasons to Explore Smokefree Housing (National Council on Healthy Housing)
Restoring a Smoke-Damaged Apartment (OR/WA)
Save Money, Save Your Building: Insurance Premiums (MI)
Smoke-free Common Interest Communities: Results of a Survey of Minnesota Property Managers (PHLC)
Smoke-free Common Interest Communities: Results of a Survey of Minnesota Owner-Occupants (PHLC)
Smokefree housing video for property managers (ME)
There Is No Constitutional Right to Smoke (TCLC)
Thirdhand Smoke in Apartments & Condos: Recommendations for Landlords & Property Managers (ANRF)
Up in Flames: The Dangers of Smoking in Apartment Units (MN)
Steps and tools to go smokefree:
Outreach postcards to housing providers (MN)
Sample Tenant Survey for Landlords Preparing to Adopt a New Policy for Smoking (CA)
Tenant Survey (MN)
Sample Time Table for Implementing Smokefree Policy (NC)
Smokefree Policy Adoption Checklist (ME)
Steps to Implementing a Smoke Free Policy (ND)
Model smokefree lease addendum (ANRF)
Sample letter to residents (MA)
Tenant notification letter (MN)
Smokefree Housing Registry (ME)
Smokefree Housing Directory (MN)
Sample signage for building (NY)
Sample signage for property (MN)
Enforcement:
Advice for Enforcing a Smokefree Housing Policy (ANRF)
Making a New Smokefree Housing Law Work (ChangeLab)
Handling Smoke-Free Policy Infractions (ME)
Smokefree Housing Enforcement Toolkit (OR)
Enforcement Steps with Tips from Successful Property Managers (OR)
Affordable Housing:
Creating Smoke-Free Affordable Housing (TCLC)
Creating Smokefree Policies for Affordable Housing in California (ChangeLab)
ECO-WISE newsletter, September 2009 newsletter focusing on smokefree housing (HUD)
HUD Multi-Family Housing Section Memo: Optional Smoke-Free Housing Policy Implementation
HUD Office of Public and Indian Housing Memo: Non-Smoking Policies in Public Housing
HUD’s Toolkit for Owners/Management Agents of Federally Assisted Public and Multi-family Housing
HUD’s: Toolkit for Residents of Federally Assisted Public and Multi-family Housing
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (overview) (HUD)
Non-smoking lease addendum from Boston Housing Authority (MA)
Secondhand Smoke Seepage into Multi-Unit Affordable Housing (TCLC)
Smokefree Incentive for Low-Income and Affordable Housing Tax Credit Programs (ALA OR)
Smoke-Free Affordable Housing: Picking on Poor People or a Case for Social Justice? (NSRA Canada)
Subsidized Housing and Smoke-free Policies (PHLC)
The Benefits of No-Smoking Policies in Affordable Housing (OR)
For Health Groups and Advocates:
Comparison of Smoke-free Housing Policy Factors Chart (PHLC)
Getting Started on Smokefree Multi-unit Housing (ANRF)
First Steps Towards Making Affordable Housing Smoke-Free (TCLC)
Regulating Smoking in Multi-Unit Housing – Tips and Tools (TCLC)
Smokefree housing tv ads and print ads from California Department of Public Health
Smokefree Policies in Multi-Unit Housing: Steps for Success (American Lung Association)
Stages of Smoke-Free Multi-Housing Program Development (webinar series) (MN)
Survey of housing providers in the community (UT)
Smokefree housing laws
Housing Authorities/Commissions which have adopted smoke-free policies (SFELP)
One-page Grid of CA Cities with Smoke-Free Housing Laws (ALA CA)
Smokefree ordinance: Alameda, CA webpage about smokefree housing ordinance
Smokefree ordinance: Santa Clara County, CA webpage about smokefree housing ordinance
Legal Partners:
Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation& Advocacy (MD)
Smoke-Free Environments Project at the Center of Social Gerontology (MI)
ChangeLab Solutions (CA)
Tobacco Control Legal Consortium at the Public Health Law Center (MN)
Healthy Housing:
Asthma Regional Council of New England’s A Case for Smokefree Housing
California Healthy Housing Program
CDC Healthy Homes Manual: Smoke-Free Policies in Multiunit Housing (CDC)
HUD Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
HUD Asthma Trigger Information
National Center for Healthy Housing and NCHH’s Reasons to Explore Smokefree Housing
Housing Industry Support:
American Apartment Owners Association, January 2011, blog entry on smokefree housing
California Apartment Association, White Paper on Tobacco Smoking at Residential Properties
California Apartment Association, Apartment Owners Realize Benefits from Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing
Daily Journal of Commerce, December 2008 article on Guardian Management smokefree policy
Multifamily Executive, May 2008 article on smokefree housing
National Apartment Association, UNITS Magazine, April 2011 article on smokefree housing
National Apartment Association, UNITS Magazine, December 2007 articles on smokefree housing
National Multi-Housing Council, Memorandum on Adopting Smokefree Policies
Tax Credit Housing Management Insider newsletter, December 2010, How to Implement a Smoke-Free Policy
LIHTC Monthly Report, November 2007, California Tax Credit Agency Supports No-Smoking Rules in Affordable Housing
National smokefree housing partners:
American Lung Association’s Smokefree Housing Initiative
Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights
ChangeLab Solutions (CA)
HUD Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
National Center for Healthy Housing
Smoke-Free Environments Project at the Center of Social Gerontology
Tobacco Control Legal Consortium at the Public Health Law Center
State and Local Smokefree Housing Projects
Please let us know if we’re missing a smokefree housing project in your area.
Colorado:
http://www.mysmokefreehousing.org/
Denver: http://www.denversmokefreeliving.org/
Hawaii:
http://hawaiismokefreehomes.org/
Illinois:
Chicago: http://www.lungchicago.org/smoke-free-housing/
Indiana:
http://insmokefreehousing.com/
Maryland:
http://www.mdsmokefreeapartments.org/
Michigan:
http://www.mismokefreeapartment.org
Minnesota:
www.mnsmokefreehousing.org
New Hampshire:
http://www.breathenh.org/page.aspx?pid=644
New York:
http://www.smokefreehousingny.org/
Erie-Niagara: http://www.tobaccofreewny.com/category/apartments/
New York City: http://www.nycsmokefree.org/housing
North Carolina:
http://www.smokefreehousingnc.com/
North Dakota:
http://www.breathend.com/TobaccosHarm/smokefreehousing/
Rhode Island:
http://www.livesmokefree.ri.gov/housing/index.html
Vermont:
http://www.smokefreehousingvt.org/
Wisconsin:
http://www.wismokefreehousing.com/
May be reprinted with appropriate credit to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.
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